Hose nozzle



Oct. 11, 1960 A. NIELSEN 2,955,766 V [HOSE NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10. 1958 INVENTOR. 4094a M/sen A. NIELSEN Oct. 11, 1960 HOSE NOZZLE s Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Feb. 10. 1958 FIG- 4 INVENTOR. flaa/pb N/e/ien MM M? 2m i/famey:

HOSE NOZZLE Adolph Nielsen, S086 Iris St., Oakland 5, Calif.

Filed Feb. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 714,195

11 Claims. c1. zs9 4s5 This invention relates to hose nozzles of the type employed to extinguish fires.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified nozzle for fire extinguishing purposes in which the flow rate and spray pattern'of the fluid discharge can be quickly and independently varied by the operator during use so as to obtain a fluid discharge of characteristics suitable to meet different conditions.

It is a further object to provide a nozzle as above in which the flow rate may be varied by a valve movable in response to a lever operated eccentric shaft and the spray pattern may be varied by a rotatable sleeve.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a spray pattern sleeve with a novel limiting device to limit the amount of movement of said sleeve.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this application, and in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a central axial sectional view of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the invention, and with parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the nozzle.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. S'is a central axial sectional view of a modifie nozzle, with parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1-4, the nozzle 10 comprises a generally tubular housing member 11 having a flow passage 12 therebushing 19. A shaft 23' extends transversely through the flow passage 12 and is rotatably mounted in bushings 19 and 22, the shaft being provided with a radially enlarged, eccentrically offset, circular midportion 24.

A valve stem member 26 is disposed longitudinally within the flow passage 12 and has an enlarged end 27 rotatably encompassing the eccentric midportion 24 Y of shaft 23. Washers 28, confined between the bushings 19 and 22 and the shaft midportion 24, retain the stem member in place on the shaft midportion.

A valve member 31 is loosely mounted on the other end of the valve stem 26, with an O-ring 32 providing a sealing engagement between the valve and stem, while allowing limited rocking movement therebetween. Nut

-33 and setscrew 34 lock the valve member against outward movement thereof with respect to the valve stem. The stem 26 is provided with a plurality of radially extending centering supports 36 to maintain the valve member in substantially coaxial relation to the flow passage 12. As seen in Fig. l, the valve member 31 has a valve seating face 37 seatable on valve seat 38 formed at the outer end 'of the housing member 11. Although the valveseat-ing face 37 of valve 31 is shown as being made of metal, it is contemplated that this face may be of rubber vulcanized to the valve member, if-desired.

A handle 41 has depending legs 42 and 43 non-rotatively secured to the square shanked ends of shaft 23, so that the shaft 23 may be rotated by swinging the handle through the position shown in Fig. 1. A square ring member 44 is slidably mounted in grooves 46 formed in the leg members 42 and 43, and is downwardly biased by bow spring 47 so that the lower rung 48 of the ring member acts as a pawl to normally engage the ratchet teeth 49 of the ratchet member 50. As

if so desired, or may be formed integrally with and centrally of the housing member 11.

A plurality of Orings, as at 51, seal between the housing member 11, cover plates 17 and 18, bushings 19 and 22 and shaft 23, to make the nozzle water-tight.

In the operation of the nozzle thus far described, the valve 31 may be unseated by squeezing the handle 41 and the upper rung of ring member 44 together to move the lower rung 48 out of engagement, with the ratchet teeth. The handle may then be rotated to the open position, thus turning the shaft 23 so that the eccentric portion thereof moves to the dotted line position of Fig. 1, causing the valve stem 26 and valve member 31 to move to the left to a full open position (not illustrated). Any intermediate rotation of the handle 41 will cause the valve 31 to move to a partially open position, at which point the ring member may be released to engage the ratchet teeth so that further accidental opening of the valve will be avoided. To close the valve, it is necessary only to pull backwardly on the handle 41, as the lower rung of the ring member may ride up and over the ratchet teeth. It will be noted that the axis of shaft 23 is off' center with respect to the axis of the flow passage when the valve is in a closed position. However, the loose mounting of the valve member 31 on the valve stem insures that the valve member will seat snugly on the valve seat when closed.

A deflector sleeve member '61 surrounds the discharge end of housing member 11, and has a portion 62 of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the valve member 31. The rear end of sleeve 61 is internally threaded at 63 to cooperate with external threads 64 formed on housing member 11 so that as the sleeve is rotated with respect to the housing member, the sleeve will move longitudinally with respect thereto. The cooperating threads 63 and' 64 are preferably multiple threads so that a relatively great longitudinal movement of the sleeve willresult from a relatively small rotation of the sleeve.

The sleeve member 61 is provided with a hemispherically shaped internal annular groove 66 to receive a plurality of locking balls 67 therein, the locking balls projecting into a relatively wide annular groove 68 formed exteriorly of the housing member. As the sleeve is rotated to' the forwardmost position illustrated in Fig. 1, the locking balls will engage the forward side 69 of groove 68 to prevent further outward movement of the sleeve. The shearing stress which would result from an attempted forcing of the sleeve beyond the limit position illustrated will then be shared equally by all of'the lock will be effectively eliminated. Similarly, the rearward movement of thesleeve will be limited by the engagement of the locking balls with the rear side of groove 68. I. Sleeve member 61 is internally grooved adjacent the portion 62 thereof to receive an O-ring 71 therein, proi'iding' a seal between the sleeve'and housing member to prevent backflow of fluid therebetwe'en. 'With the sleeve 61 in the illustrated position, the water discharging from the nozzle will be substantially a cylinder of a size of the internal diameter of the portion 62 of the sleeve. With the sleeve moved to the right, by relative rotation thereof with respect to housing member 11 (as viewed in Fig. '1), the sleeve will cease to deflect thewater issuing between the valve seating face 37 of the valve and the'valve seat 38, and the spray. pattern will be essentially in the shape of a flat disk... Any intermediate spray pattern can be easily and quickly obtained by rotating the sleeve member 61 until the desired pattern is reached.

As is clear from the foregoing description, I have provided a hose nozzle in which the flow rate of the water discharged from the nozzle, and the spray pattern of such discharge, can be quickly and independently varied. Also, the particular form of the invention illustrated is peculiarly adapted for emergency use. The manually operable controls for the water how and the spray pattern are quite different in operation such that little likelihood of confusion will occur as to which con- 7 trol to operate to meet changing operating requirements.

The ratchet arrangement prevents accidental opening of the valve, and will hold the valve in any selected position against the force of the water on the valve tending to open it, while at the same time allowing thev valve to be quickly closed by merely pulling back on the handle. In the use of the nozzle, the deflector sleeve 61 may be rotated very quickly when it is necessary to change spray trically oflset, circular midportion 24 of shaft 23 would vbe rotated in a clockwise direction to open valve 31,

instead of the counterclockwise direction as illustrated in Fig. 1. V

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the hose nozzle previously described. The generally tubular housing member 100 has a flow passage 101 therethrough from the inlet end 102 to the discharge end 103. A single side cover plate 104 is threaded into the housing member 100. 7 V p a 7 A shaft 106 extends transversely through the flowpassage 101 and is journaled in hub 107, formed interiorly of .housingmember 100, and in side cover plate 104. The shaft 106 has a radially enlarged, eccentrically off: set, circular midportion 108. V

A valve' stem member 109 is disposed longitudinally within flow passage 101, and has an enlarged end 111 rotatably encompassing the eccentric midportion 108 of shaft 106. Hub 107and a radially enlarged portion .112 of shaft 106 retain the stem member in place on the eccentric portion of the shaft. 7

A valve member 113 is loosely mounted on-the other end'of valve stem 109, with an 'O-ring 114 providing a sealing engagement between the valve and stem, while allowing limited rocking movement therebetween, as .previously explained. The valve seating face of valve 113 is surfaced with rubber 116 vulcanized to the valve member. A plurality of radially extending centering supper-$ 117 on stem 109'ma'inta'in the'valve member 4 113 in substantially coaxial relation to flow path 101.

A handle 120 has a first member 121 journaled for rotation about an outwardly extending hub 122 formed integrally with housing member 100, and a second member 123 fixed against rotation to the square shanked end portion 124 of shaft 106. A spring-pressed detent 126 carried in handle member 121 is adapted to engage spaced depressions 127 in the path of movement of the detent as the handle is 'moved between the positions shown in Fig. 5. The force of spring 128, when the detent 126 is in a depression, is suificient to prevent water pressure from forcing the valve 113 open, while yet allowing the detent to be cammed out of a depression upon a manual force being applied to the handle.

A deflector sleeve member 130 threadedly engages the discharge end of the nozzle housing, in the same manner and for the same purposes as above described in connection with Figs. l-4. A removable setscrew 131 enables the locking balls 132 to be entered into the sleeve groove 133. A rubber bumper ring 134 may be disposed around the sleeve, if desired.

The overall length of the valve stem member 109 may be adjusted, by the following means, to insure that the valvemember 113 will seat tightly on the discharge passage end 103 when the handle is in closed position. The valve'stem 109 is' comprised of two coaxial sections 136 and 137, threadedly interconnected at 138 so that the portions 136 and 137 can be adjusted to produce a limited longitudinal movement therebetween, with a setscrew 139 being provided to lock the stem members together after such adjustment. Screw-member 140, in I housing member 100, may be removed to provide'access to setscrew 139. V

The operation of this embodiment is essentially the same as previously described. A manual force applied to the handle to rotate it in a clockwise direction (as 'seen in Fig. 5) will cam the detent 126 out of the deaxis of the passage "101 when valve 110 is closed and is slightly below the axis of the passage when the valve 1s full open. The loose mounting of the valve on the valve stem will insure that the valve seats tightly on'the housing member when closed thereagainst. When the valve is full open, the force of the water will maintain the axis of the valve member coaxial with the discharge passage so that a uniform spray will be produced.

It is to be understoodthat the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theattached claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V 1. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having'an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically oflset, circular midportion within said flow-passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but 'sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face cngageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a handle member secured to said shaft, .a ratchet toothed member mounted on said housing member, and a manually releasable pawl carried by said handle and normally en- .gageable with said ratchet teeth to prevent opening moveacssfiee ment of said valve member while allowing closing of said valve member. s

2. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, said discharge end having a coaxial discharge port and valve surface, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically ofiset, circular midportion within said flow passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the valve surface of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a manually operable handle member secured to said shaft, and a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve being coaxial with said discharge port and having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member and axially adjustable thereof.

3. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a fiow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically offset, circular midportion Within said flow passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal ofif fluid flow therethro-ugh, a bandle member secured to said shaft, a ratchet toothed member mounted on said housing member, a manually releasable pawl carried by said handle and normally engageable with said ratchet teeth to prevent opening movement of said valve member while allowing closing of said valve member, and a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member.

4. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a valve member having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough and movable outwardly therefrom, a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, said sleeve having a portion thereof adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member, said housing member having a relatively Wide annular groove formed exteriorly thereon, said sleeve having a relatively narrow groove formed internally therein, and a plurality of locking balls filling said sleeve groove and projecting into said housing member groove to limit longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said housing member.

5. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically oflset, circular midportion Within said flow passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a manually operable handle member secured to said shaft, a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member, said housing member having a relatively wide annular groove formed exteriorly thereon, said sleeve having a relatively narrow groove formed internally therein, and a plurality of locking balls filling said sleeve groove and projecting into said housing member groove to limit longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said housing member.

6. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically ofiset, circular midportion Within said flow passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said fiow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a handle member secured to said shaft, a ratchet toothed member mounted on said housing member, a manually releasable pawl carried by said handle and normally engageable with said ratchet' teeth to prevent opening movement of said valve member While allowing closing of said valve member, a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member, said housing member having a relatively Wide annular groove formed exteriorly thereon, said sleeve having a relatively narrow groove formed internally therein, and a plurality of locking balls filling said sleeve groove and projecting into said housing member groove to limit longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said housing member.

7. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having a radially enlarged, eccentrically offset, circular midportion within said flow passage, said shaft having its axis offset from the axis of said flow passage, a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a plurality of support members radially projecting from said valve stem to center said valve stem in said flow passage, a handle member secured to said shaft, a ratchet toothed member mounted on said housing member, a manually releasable pawl carried by said handle and normally engageable with said ratchet teeth to prevent opening movement of said valve member while allowing closing of said valve member, a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith by multiple threads, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to projectbeyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member, said housing member having a relatively Wide annular groove formed exteriorly thereon, said sleeve having a relatively narrow groove formed internally therein, and a plurality of locking balls filling said sleeve groove and projecting into said housing member groove to limit longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said housing member.

8. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzle and said flow passage, said shaft having an eccentrically ofiset, circular midportion within said flow passage, avalve stern having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and'having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a handle member secured to said shaft, and amanually releasable spring-pressed member carried by said handle and normally engageable with said housingmember at preselected points thereon to restrain opening movement of end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a metallic valve member rockably but sealingly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow theretbrough, said valve seating face being comprised of rubber vulcanized to said metallic valve member, said valve stem member comprising two coaxial portions interconnected for limited relative longitudinal movement, means to lock said valve stem portions against said relative longitudinal movement, a manually operable handle member secured to said shaft, and a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter or" said valve member, said sleeve portion being adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member.

11. A hose nozzle comprising a generally tubular housing member having an inlet end, a discharge end and a r 8 r flow passage therebetween, a rotatable shaft extending transversely through said nozzleand said fiow passage, said shaft having a radially enlarged, eccentrically offset,

circular midportion Within saidfiowipassagesaid shaft having its axis offset from'the axis of said flow'pas'sage,

"a valve stem having one end thereof encircling the eccentric midportion of said shaft, a valve member rockablybut sealing'ly mounted on the other end of said valve stem and having a seating face engageable with the discharge end of said flow passage to seal off fluid flow therethrough, a plurality of support members radially projecting from said valve stem to'center said valve stem in said flow passage, a handle member secured to said shaft, a'manually releasable spring-pressed member carried by said handle and normally engageable' with said housing member at preselected points thereon to restrain opening movement of said valve member, a deflector sleeve surrounding the discharge end of said housing member and threadedly engaged therewith, said sleeve having a portion thereof of internal diameter greater than the external diameter of said valve member, said sleeve portionbeing adapted to project beyond the discharge end of said housing member and said valve member, .said housing member having a relatively wide annular groove formed exterio-rly thereon, said sleeve having a relatively narrow groove formed internally therein,

and a plurality of locking balls filling said sleeve groove and projecting into said housing member groove to limit longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said housing member.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,682 Mikorey et a1. July 20, 1909 964,578 Stephens July 19, 1910 1,072,951 Johnston Sept. 9, 1913 1,830,694 Fraser Nov. 3, 1931 2,252,698 Button et a1. Aug. 19, 1941 2,534,549 Fraser Dec. 19, 1950 2,552,444 Nielsen May 8, 1951 2,552,445 Nielsen May 8, 1951 2,696,264 Colmerauer et a1. Dec; 7, 1954 2,747,939 Caird May 29, 1956 2,842,335 Cousins July 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,516 Great Britain Nov. 14, 1918 326,232 Italy May 7, 1935 If. o .n- WW.- 

